CAG has exposed Rs 5 crore scam in IFFI tenders: Gen Next

01 Apr 201502:00am IST

01 Apr 201502:00am IST

PANJIM: Generation Next, an organization formed to expose corruption at various government levels, on Tuesday, claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has exposed a Rs 5 crore scam in tendering of some works for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2014.

TEAM HERALD

PANJIM: Generation Next, an organization formed to expose corruption at various government levels, on Tuesday, claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has exposed a Rs 5 crore scam in tendering of some works for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2014.

Further, the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), the nodal agency for holding IFFI, has failed to renew its registration under Societies Registration Act 1980, which has to be done every five year. CAG has in its 2015 report pointed out to IFFI irregularities, a copy of which was circulated to media during the press briefing.

Addressing media persons, Generation Next president Durgadas Kamat, while announcing that he would file a criminal complaint against the ESG chairman, managing director and Chief Executive Officer with Panjim police, has urged government to immediately sack the chairman holding him responsible for this mega scam. The organization has also decided to write to the Union Ministry for Information and Broadcasting about the major scam.

Kamat said that the CAG has pointed out unjustified expenditure of Rs 1.07 crore by the agency TPT Production Pvt Ltd, which was awarded the contract for conceptualization and execution of set design for opening and closing ceremony at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium, Taleigao plateau. The company was awarded tender for Rs 4.53 crore, however, the bills raised by the company amount to Rs 5.61 crore. CAG report also observes that in addition to this, ESG has incurred an additional expenditure of Rs 61.69 lakh for the work carried out by agencies appointed separately for decoration, illumination, construction of the stage, Kamat said. In yet another expose, CAG has revealed that ESG spent Rs 40 lakh for procuring 11,500 tote bags to be distributed to delegates but only 8,400 bags were supplied and there is no account of the balance.